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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: mug · rush · patient · cold · pass · pitch · mate · bass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pitch — completely
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mate — a partner
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cold — an illness
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bass — low music
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bass — the fish

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