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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. file — a line of people
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. deal — to handle
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. staff — employees
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. file — a document
  23. file — a tool
  24. staff — a stick

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