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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stand — to bear
  3. drill — the tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. root — the cause
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. capital — money
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. root — of a word
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pass — a permit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. capital — a city
  23. drill — army training
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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