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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kid — to tease
  5. content — the amount
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. mug — to rob
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — a permit
  16. content — happy
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. mug — a face
  22. press — a publisher
  23. mug — a cup
  24. kid — child

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