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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pound — a weight
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. sharp — clever
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stock — shares
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. wound — an injury
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. wound — an injury
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. tube — a container
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tube — the underground
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pass — to succeed

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