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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pass — a permit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. wound — an injury
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pitcher — a jug

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