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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. key — for a lock
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stand — to bear
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. key — in music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. suit — clothes
  15. key — the most important part
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fork — in a road
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. stem — to come from
  23. press — newspapers
  24. suit — in cards

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