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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fork — in a road
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. saw — the tool
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — in cards
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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