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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. fine — all right
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. season — in sport
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bat — the animal
  13. season — of the year
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. kick — in football
  21. fine — high quality
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. spell — magic
  24. bat — in an idiom

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