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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. track — a song
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pass — a permit
  8. track — a path
  9. bore — to tire
  10. net — after costs
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — to handle
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. net — in sport
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. net — for catching
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. track — to keep track

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