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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. staff — a stick
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. branch — a division
  12. staff — employees
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. staff — employees
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bear — to put up with

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