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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. chip — for betting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fork — in a road
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. sharp — clever
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. field — for sport
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. field — farmland
  21. chip — to eat
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — music
  24. field — a subject

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