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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. tear — from crying
  15. track — a song
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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