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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — all right
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. squash — to crush
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. content — the amount
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chip — to eat
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. content — happy
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

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