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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pit — in a race
  7. band — a music group
  8. can — a tin
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a hole
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. can — to be able to
  20. band — a ring
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wake — a trail

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