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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lie — to recline
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. last — final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stem — to come from
  18. last — finally
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. pass — a permit
  22. last — to go on
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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