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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. present — there
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — a permit
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. sharp — clever
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. present — the time now
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. present — a gift
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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