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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. race — humankind
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bark — to shout
  9. race — the arms race
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pound — a weight
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bark — of a tree

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