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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. firm — steady
  5. saw — the tool
  6. last — to go on
  7. firm — decided
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. saw — the tool
  17. last — finally
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — in sport
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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