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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lean — thin
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. track — a song
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. track — a path
  13. degree — from a university
  14. mate — to breed
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mate — a friend
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. lean — to bend

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