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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. current — electric
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. current — happening now
  11. root — of a word
  12. mate — a partner
  13. root — the cause
  14. mate — to breed
  15. root — of a plant
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — government
  22. bark — to shout
  23. rule — a law
  24. current — of water

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