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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stand — to bear
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bat — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bore — to drill
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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