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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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 — a permit
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. firm — a company
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. firm — steady
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. staff — a stick
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. staff — employees
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. kick — in football
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. track — to keep track
  15. staff — employees
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. track — a song
  21. sharp — clever
  22. track — a path
  23. firm — decided
  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