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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — in music
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. bass — low music

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