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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. land — ground
  6. land — a country
  7. ball — a great time
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. land — to come down
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. swing — music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. swing — to play on
  17. toast — bread
  18. calf — a young animal

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