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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spell — letters
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. spell — magic
  7. sharp — clever
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. firm — decided
  10. key — for a lock
  11. hand — in cards
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. key — the most important part
  16. hand — help
  17. key — in music
  18. firm — steady
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — a company
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. spell — a short time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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