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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 · mark · rest · patient · straw · root · lie · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lie — to recline
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mark — a grade
  5. rest — a break
  6. kick — in football
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rest — what's left
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — of a word
  15. rest — what's left
  16. root — of a plant
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. root — the cause
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. kick — a thrill

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