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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. sharp — clever
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. prune — to trim
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pass — to succeed

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