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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.

Make a worksheet

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: stick · mark · sharp · ball · wave · mine · wake · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mine — for digging
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ball — a great time
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wake — a trail
  24. sharp — clever

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