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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bound — tied together
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bound — certain
  13. spell — magic
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mouse — for a computer

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