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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pitch — completely
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rash — a series
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rash — hasty

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