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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — a break
  4. dip — to sink
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rest — what's left
  7. object — to protest
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. row — to paddle
  11. drill — army training
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rest — what's left
  16. object — an aim
  17. drill — a practice
  18. row — a line
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. drill — the tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. object — a thing
  24. face — to confront

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