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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · firm · patient · present · mug · fork · scale · straw

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. ground — the earth
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. present — the time now
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. scale — size or range
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. present — there
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. firm — steady
  17. ground — crushed
  18. scale — in music
  19. firm — a company
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ground — a position
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com