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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mark — a grade
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. race — the arms race
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. race — humankind
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. sharp — clever
  21. board — a committee
  22. mark — a trace
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — for light

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