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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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. fall — the season
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bound — tied together
  10. season — of the year
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bound — certain
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wound — an injury
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. pass — a permit

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