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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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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: hide · pound · dip · pass · cell · nail · patient · fine

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cell — a phone
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. hide — animal skin

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