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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — to bear
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pit — a hole
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cue — a signal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. row — to paddle
  12. firm — decided
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. row — a line
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. firm — a company
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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