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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.

Make a worksheet

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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wake — a trail
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — clever
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. can — a tin
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. can — to be able to
  24. sharp — exactly

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