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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 · foot · staff · pop · plane · rush · fine · bay

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. staff — employees
  3. firm — decided
  4. fine — high quality
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pop — soda
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pop — to visit
  15. firm — a company
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. staff — a stick
  18. fine — all right
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. firm — steady
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. staff — employees
  24. pop — music

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