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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: mate · bulb · pass · ground · rest · rock · key · patient

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rest — what's left
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mate — a friend
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bulb — for light
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. ground — crushed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. ground — a position
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rest — a break
  23. rock — music
  24. patient — a sick person

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