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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. sharp — clever
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fine — high quality
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. fine — all right
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. toast — bread
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rush — to hurry

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