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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cap — a hat
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rest — a break
  12. perch — the fish
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pass — a permit
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cap — of ice
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

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