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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — to protest
  4. ground — a position
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. object — a thing
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. object — an aim
  14. can — a tin
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. staff — a stick
  17. ground — crushed
  18. prune — to trim
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pass — a permit
  24. ground — the earth

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