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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a cup
  3. spring — of water
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. spell — magic
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bound — certain
  15. mug — a face
  16. spring — the season
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stem — to come from
  21. spell — a short time
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. spell — letters
  24. rush — to hurry

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