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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. file — a line of people
  4. land — ground
  5. file — a document
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — a country
  12. file — a tool
  13. march — the month
  14. land — to come down
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. march — the month
  17. present — a gift
  18. can — to be able to
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. march — music
  21. pass — a permit
  22. snap — to click
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pound — a weight

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