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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. present — the time now
  3. spring — the season
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cap — a lid
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. spring — a coil
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pass — a permit
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. spring — of water
  18. fork — in a road
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. cap — a hat
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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