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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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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 · cue · fork · kid · patient · wind · face · can

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. cue — for pool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. firm — a company
  10. kid — to tease
  11. kid — child
  12. fork — in a road
  13. face — part of the head
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. can — a tin
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. firm — steady
  18. cue — a hint
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. face — to confront

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