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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — in cards
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — moving air
  11. drill — army training
  12. land — ground
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. land — to come down
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. land — a country
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pass — a permit
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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