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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mug — a face
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. net — after costs
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — for catching
  13. tube — a container
  14. net — in sport
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mug — to rob

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