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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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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: patient · roll · cold · face · pass · object · deal · bore

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. face — part of the head
  3. cold — not warm
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. face — to confront
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. face — to point toward
  13. object — an aim
  14. cold — an illness
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. object — a thing
  19. bore — to tire
  20. roll — a cake
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. object — to protest
  24. deal — to handle

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