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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 116 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pit — a hole
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. fine — all right
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. tube — the underground
  10. sharp — clever
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. tube — a container
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pit — in a race
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. row — a line
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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