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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. cue — a hint
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fall — to drop
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — a position
  10. pass — a permit
  11. fall — to drop
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bank — for money
  14. cue — a signal
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. toast — bread
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fall — the season
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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