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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. mark — a grade
  6. suit — to fit
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mark — a trace
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tube — the underground
  19. deal — to handle
  20. row — a line
  21. suit — clothes
  22. dip — to sink
  23. tube — a container
  24. dip — to dunk

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