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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 120 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: net · pass · pop · dip · mate · patient · last · snap

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. snap — to click
  4. pop — to visit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pass — a permit
  7. net — for catching
  8. last — to go on
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — final
  11. pop — music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. net — after costs
  17. mate — a friend
  18. last — finally
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. net — in sport
  21. mate — a partner
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pop — soda
  24. dip — to dunk

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