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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lie — to recline
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mark — a trace

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