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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.

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: plane · coach · patient · track · sharp · stick · snap · cabinet

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. snap — to click
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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