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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · suit · cold · wind · pass · bear · dip · hide

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cold — an illness
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. dip — to sink
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — a sauce

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