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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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cue — a hint
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — to push
  10. cue — for pool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. chip — for betting
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cue — a signal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. press — a publisher
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. chip — in a computer

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