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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 116 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spring — the season
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. spring — of water
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pop — soda
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pop — music
  18. object — an aim
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. object — a thing

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