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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cold — an illness
  4. firm — decided
  5. swing — music
  6. cold — not warm
  7. rule — government
  8. firm — steady
  9. last — finally
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — a company
  14. swing — in golf
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rule — a law
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. last — to go on
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. last — final
  24. pass — to succeed

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