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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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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: plane · patient · mark · bound · sharp · tube · last · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mark — a trace
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. plane — a tool
  7. tube — the underground
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bound — tied together
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — a container
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. last — finally
  18. bound — obliged
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bound — certain
  21. last — to go on
  22. mark — a grade
  23. last — final
  24. sharp — with an edge

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