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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. content — happy
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. staff — employees
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. deal — to handle
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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