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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spell — letters
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. press — to push
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. press — a publisher
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pop — music
  15. current — of water
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. spell — magic
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. pop — soda
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. spell — a short time

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