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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — a trail
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. kid — child
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. kid — to tease
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bear — the animal

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