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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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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: lie · cabinet · race · pass · chip · mark · patient · bear

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lie — to recline
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mark — a trace
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mark — a grade
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bear — the animal
  13. race — a contest
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. race — humankind
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chip — for betting

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