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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: track · sharp · suit · saw · tube · patient · face · stick

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. track — a path
  3. track — to keep track
  4. tube — a container
  5. face — to point toward
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. face — to confront
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. face — part of the head
  13. tube — the underground
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — clever
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — a song
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. saw — the tool
  24. suit — to fit

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