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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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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: plane · can · court · firm · mate · rock · patient · wound

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. court — for sport
  4. wound — an injury
  5. court — of law
  6. can — a tin
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. can — to be able to
  11. firm — a company
  12. court — of a king
  13. mate — a friend
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wound — an injury
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — a tool
  22. firm — steady
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — to breed

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