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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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Word bank
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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wind — moving air
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kid — to tease
  7. snap — to click
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. rock — music
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fine — high quality
  13. charge — electricity
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. charge — a price
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. fine — all right
  20. kid — child
  21. pass — a permit
  22. charge — in control
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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