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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.

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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: ground · lie · suit · pass · rock · cabinet · patient · last

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. last — final
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ground — a position
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lie — to recline
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — finally
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rock — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ground — the earth

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