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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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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: racket · firm · straw · roll · stick · patient · cap · pass

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. cap — a hat
  4. roll — a list
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pass — a permit
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. firm — steady
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cap — a lid
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. firm — a company
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. firm — decided
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. cap — of ice
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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