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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — to handle
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. sharp — clever
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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