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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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. capital — a big letter
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. race — the arms race
  12. capital — money
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. game — wild animals
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. race — a contest
  18. stand — to bear
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. game — a match
  21. bank — of a river
  22. capital — a city
  23. race — humankind
  24. stand — for spectators

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