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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. capital — a city
  5. capital — money
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. present — there
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — hurry
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. present — the time now
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — in cards
  24. present — a gift

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