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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: fan · cap · ground · spell · snap · pass · patient · lie

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. snap — to click
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — letters
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pass — a permit
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. spell — magic
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cap — of ice
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pass — to succeed

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