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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bark — to shout
  5. game — a match
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. net — in sport
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. net — for catching
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. net — after costs
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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