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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — the earth
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rash — a series
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. track — a path
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. ground — a position
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mug — a face
  14. track — a song
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mate — to breed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mate — a partner
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. rash — hasty
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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