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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: deal · spring · net · mark · object · patient · drill · firm

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. drill — army training
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. net — for catching
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — a grade
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mark — a trace
  12. spring — a coil
  13. drill — the tool
  14. firm — decided
  15. spring — the season
  16. deal — to handle
  17. spring — of water
  18. net — after costs
  19. drill — a practice
  20. object — to protest
  21. firm — steady
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. object — an aim
  24. net — in sport

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