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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: mug · sharp · wake · stick · patient · staff · suit · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mug — to rob
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mug — a face
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. staff — employees
  14. sharp — clever
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wake — a trail
  17. staff — a stick
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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