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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.

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: ground · rock · mine · patient · nail · lie · pass · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. lie — to recline
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rock — a stone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ground — a position
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — music
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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