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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mate — a friend
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. land — ground
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mug — a face
  13. mate — a partner
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. land — to come down
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. land — a country
  18. mug — to rob
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pass — a permit
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mug — a cup
  23. wax — to grow
  24. suit — clothes

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