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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. can — a tin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. can — a tin
  8. tube — a container
  9. can — to be able to
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bear — the animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fall — the season
  15. bass — low music
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bass — the fish
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bass — the instrument

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