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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mate — a friend
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mate — to breed
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. pass — a permit
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. snap — to click
  18. bank — of a river
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. season — in sport

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