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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. net — after costs
  4. mark — a grade
  5. season — of the year
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lie — to recline
  11. field — farmland
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. season — in sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. field — for sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. field — a subject
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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