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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tube — the underground
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. press — to push
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a song
  11. row — to paddle
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. press — a publisher
  14. track — to keep track
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. track — a path
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. press — newspapers
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. tube — a container
  22. season — in sport
  23. row — a line
  24. pass — a permit

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