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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: toast · mark · nail · patient · squash · pass · bay · drill

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. toast — bread
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — a grade
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pass — a permit
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. squash — to crush
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. drill — the tool
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. drill — army training
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. nail — for a hammer

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