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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. last — to go on
  7. charge — a price
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bark — to shout
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. last — finally
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — final
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. charge — in control
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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