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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spell — magic
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rest — a break
  7. rock — music
  8. pass — a permit
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — to put up with

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