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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: ground · fork · saw · patient · mug · pass · bass · pit

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mug — a face
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pit — a hole
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ground — a position
  15. bass — the fish
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bass — low music
  24. pass — to spend time

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