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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
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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: drill · patient · leaves · fan · cabinet · temple · present · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — army training
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. present — there
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. present — the time now
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. sharp — clever
  23. present — a gift
  24. cabinet — ministers

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