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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — hurry
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bat — the animal
  14. pass — a permit
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bat — in an idiom

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