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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cell · fine · firm · ball · pop · key · pass

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pass — a permit
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — for a lock
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — in music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pop — music
  10. cell — in biology
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — soda
  21. fine — all right
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — a phone

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