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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. staff — a stick
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. present — there
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — a gift
  14. cap — a lid
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cap — a hat
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. staff — employees
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. degree — an amount

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