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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ground — a position
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. drill — army training
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pop — soda
  14. pop — music
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — in sport
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. net — after costs
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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