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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 124 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. season — of the year
  2. firm — a company
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. season — in sport
  5. pit — a hole
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. pass — a permit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. track — to keep track
  15. pit — in a race
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — steady
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. present — there
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a round shape
  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