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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: stick · tear · sharp · firm · dip · plane · rash · suit

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rash — hasty
  5. suit — clothes
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — to fit
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rash — a series
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. firm — a company
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — steady
  22. suit — in cards
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. firm — decided

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