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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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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ground — a position
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ground — the earth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — a permit
  7. capital — a city
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stand — to bear
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. capital — money
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stand — on your feet

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