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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. season — in sport
  4. net — in sport
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mug — a face
  7. season — of the year
  8. bound — certain
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. hand — help
  13. net — for catching
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bound — tied together
  18. net — after costs

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