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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. staff — a stick
  4. clip — a video
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rock — a stone
  12. clip — to cut
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rock — music
  16. staff — employees
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. rash — a series
  19. bass — low music
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bass — the fish
  24. staff — employees

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