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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. track — a path
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cap — a lid
  5. track — a song
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — to keep track
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. cap — of ice
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cabinet — ministers

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