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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 120 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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — to sink
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stock — goods
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rest — what's left
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — a break
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. band — a ring
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — shares
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. arm — a part of something

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