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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. wound — an injury
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bat — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. deal — to handle
  24. patient — a sick person

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