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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 116 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. march — music
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. chip — to eat
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rest — what's left
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. march — the month
  17. rest — a break
  18. march — the month
  19. tube — the underground
  20. sharp — clever
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. tube — a container
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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