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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. pop — to visit
  3. toast — bread
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pop — music
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rash — a series
  16. pop — soda
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bound — certain
  19. season — of the year
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — hasty
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. season — in sport

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