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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. suit — clothes
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rest — what's left
  6. band — a music group
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. march — the month
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. march — music
  12. band — a ring
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rest — a break
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. scale — in music
  19. pitch — completely
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. scale — size or range
  24. march — the month

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