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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 124 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. band — a music group
  8. club — for golf
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for dancing
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — a video
  17. band — a ring
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. clip — for paper
  20. press — to push
  21. club — a group
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. press — a publisher

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