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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. board — a committee
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. season — of the year
  7. press — to push
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. board — to get on
  11. press — newspapers
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. sharp — clever
  15. snap — to click
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. press — a publisher
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. season — in sport
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. nail — for a hammer

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