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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: dip · fine · pound · hide · staff · spell · mug · patient

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — all right
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mug — to rob
  8. spell — a short time
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pound — a weight
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spell — magic
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. spell — letters
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. patient — a sick person

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