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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — farmland
  5. sharp — clever
  6. field — for sport
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pass — a permit
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mug — to rob
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mug — a face
  22. roll — a cake
  23. present — the time now
  24. roll — a list

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