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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rush — hurry
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pop — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pass — a permit
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. suit — to fit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pop — to visit
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pop — soda
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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