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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cap — a lid
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. face — part of the head
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cap — a hat
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. rush — hurry
  20. face — to confront
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pass — a permit

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