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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. band — a music group
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. present — the time now
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. present — a gift
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. present — there
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pass — a permit

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