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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. present — there
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. present — the time now
  5. mine — for digging
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. shower — rain
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. present — a gift
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pass — a permit
  13. shower — to wash
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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