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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: row · pass · nail · hide · wax · ground · patient · mark

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mark — a grade
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ground — a position
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. row — a line
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. row — to paddle
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ground — the earth
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wax — to grow

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