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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.

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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: fall · firm · swing · patient · net · deal · snap · mark

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. snap — to click
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — steady
  9. swing — to play on
  10. net — after costs
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. firm — a company
  16. swing — in golf
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — a grade
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mark — a trace
  22. firm — decided
  23. net — for catching
  24. deal — an agreement

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