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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
468
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: bear · pass · lie · dip · patient · cue · mouse · ground

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pass — a permit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lie — to recline

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