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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 120 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: row · patient · game · arm · pass · rush · dip · suit

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. dip — to sink
  5. rush — hurry
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. row — to paddle
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. suit — clothes
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — to fit
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. suit — in cards
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. row — a line
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pass — to succeed

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