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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.

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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: sharp · staff · cap · nail · patient · press · track · rock

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. staff — a stick
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. track — a path
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cap — a lid
  9. track — to keep track
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — a stone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. track — a song
  17. press — a publisher
  18. sharp — clever
  19. cap — of ice
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. staff — employees
  22. rock — music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. nail — on a finger

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