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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pass — a permit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bulb — for light
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — clothes
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. wound — an injury

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