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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. file — a document
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — a hat
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. file — a tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. sharp — clever
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. toast — bread
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stem — to come from
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cap — of ice

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