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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: firm · lean · craft · stick · arm · march · plane · patient

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lean — thin
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — to bend
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. march — the month
  9. plane — a tool
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. firm — steady
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. craft — boats

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