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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cue — for pool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. game — a match
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. capital — a city
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. lie — to recline
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. capital — money
  24. pass — to succeed

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