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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 120 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pound — a weight
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. current — happening now
  7. object — to protest
  8. key — for a lock
  9. current — of water
  10. fine — all right
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. object — a thing
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. key — in music
  20. current — electric
  21. wound — an injury
  22. fine — high quality
  23. object — an aim
  24. key — the most important part

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