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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 120 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. last — final
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mark — a trace
  14. last — finally
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. last — to go on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lie — to recline
  23. fork — in a road
  24. patient — a sick person

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