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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. root — the cause
  7. march — music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. court — of law
  10. mate — a partner
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. court — for sport
  13. mate — a friend
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. march — the month
  21. court — of a king
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bear — the animal

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