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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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cap — a lid
  4. drill — army training
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rash — a series
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — of ice
  14. drill — a practice
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cap — a hat
  21. pit — a hole
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pass — to spend time

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