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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: sharp · firm · mug · pit · date · squash · rest · patient

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. firm — decided
  4. date — the fruit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mug — a face
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mug — to rob
  11. sharp — clever
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pit — in a race
  17. squash — the sport
  18. rest — a break
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mug — a cup
  21. firm — steady
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pit — a hole
  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