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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. current — happening now
  6. bound — obliged
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. board — to get on
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wind — moving air
  14. sharp — clever
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. board — a committee
  18. bound — certain
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. spell — letters

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