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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 116 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. key — in music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. key — the most important part
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pass — a permit
  11. root — the cause
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. land — to come down
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. root — of a word
  20. lie — to recline
  21. land — ground
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. land — a country
  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