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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. last — to go on
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. row — to paddle
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pass — a permit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — a line
  15. last — final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stem — to come from
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. last — finally
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bowl — a football final

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