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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. can — to be able to
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bore — to tire
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. bore — to drill
  13. march — music
  14. march — the month
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. degree — temperature
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — a permit
  23. march — the month
  24. can — a tin

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