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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: lean · patient · suit · mate · pass · cold · rash · plane

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. rash — a series
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mate — to breed
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. mate — a partner
  19. cold — an illness
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cold — not warm
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — to rest against

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