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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bore — to tire
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. capital — a city
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. capital — money
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. game — a match
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bore — to drill

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