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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 116 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: kick · pass · snap · patient · race · can · hide · mark

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. race — the arms race
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a grade
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. can — a tin
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — a trace
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — a contest
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — a tin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — a permit
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. snap — to click
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. kick — in football

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