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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: pass · patient · squash · bay · object · hide · tube · deal

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. squash — to crush
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. object — to protest
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. tube — the underground
  16. object — an aim
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — the sport
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pass — a permit

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