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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. cap — of ice
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cap — a lid
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. cap — a hat
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wind — moving air

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