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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 116 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. sharp — clever
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chip — to eat
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. plane — a tool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. pound — a weight
  23. mine — for digging
  24. pitcher — a jug

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