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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. can — a tin
  4. stand — to bear
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mine — for digging
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — in a road
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rest — what's left
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. pit — a hole
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pit — in a race
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rest — a break
  24. sharp — clever

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