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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — a group
  3. last — finally
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. last — to go on
  6. pass — a permit
  7. land — ground
  8. lean — thin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. swing — to play on
  12. land — to come down
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. swing — music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. last — final
  17. land — a country
  18. club — for golf
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. club — for dancing
  21. swing — in golf
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. leaves — to go away

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