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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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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: pit · stick · cabinet · fine · sharp · present · perch · patient

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pit — in a race
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a hole
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. present — a gift
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fine — all right
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. present — the time now
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — high quality
  20. perch — the fish
  21. present — there
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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