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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. shower — rain
  12. wax — to grow
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. foot — a measure
  15. march — the month
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bore — to drill
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. march — music
  24. lie — an untruth

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