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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stand — to bear
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — to fit
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cell — a phone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cell — in biology

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