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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 120 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
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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: hide · firm · object · patient · suit · mine · row · wake

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — a trail
  5. row — to paddle
  6. object — an aim
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. row — a line
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — steady
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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