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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: lie · pass · ground · patient · wound · coach · mate · object

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. object — to protest
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — crushed
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ground — a position
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. object — a thing
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wound — an injury

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