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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: wake · lean · pitch · bank · patient · pass · lie · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bank — of a river
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — for money
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pitch — completely
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pass — a permit

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