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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · bay · pound · sharp · lie · season · patient · track

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. object — a thing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. object — an aim
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — in sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pound — a weight
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. track — a path
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. track — a song
  22. object — to protest
  23. season — of the year
  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