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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. spell — letters
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spell — magic
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. hand — help
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. sharp — exactly

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