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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pop — to visit
  8. snap — to click
  9. pop — music
  10. face — to confront
  11. sharp — clever
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. face — to point toward
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. pop — soda
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. sharp — with an edge

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