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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — obliged
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cap — of ice
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bound — certain
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — temperature
  16. cap — a hat
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. degree — from a university
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bound — tied together
  24. safe — a strongbox

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