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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: bowl · stand · racket · patient · band · ground · fall · sharp

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ground — the earth
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fall — the season
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. band — a music group
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. band — a ring
  23. fall — to drop
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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