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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. sharp — clever
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. object — to protest
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pop — to visit
  22. chair — a leader
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chair — to sit on

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