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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lean — thin
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. club — for golf
  24. chip — to eat

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