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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — a thing
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — clever
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. object — to protest
  12. snap — to click
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. object — an aim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fork — in a road
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stand — to bear

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