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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — a stone
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. sharp — clever
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. saw — the tool
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rock — music
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. saw — the tool

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