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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. season — in sport
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fall — the season
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. present — there
  15. mate — a partner
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mate — to breed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — goods
  21. season — of the year
  22. stock — shares
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fall — to drop

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