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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 120 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rash — hasty
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — letters
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pass — a permit
  11. spell — magic
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rash — a series
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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