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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: object · patient · mate · toast · pass · spell · bay · calf

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. object — an aim
  3. spell — letters
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. spell — magic
  8. object — a thing
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mate — to breed
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. spell — a short time
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. object — to protest
  23. toast — bread
  24. mate — a friend

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