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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — employees
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. plane — a tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. staff — employees
  20. sharp — clever
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. suit — clothes
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — to fit

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