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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mark — a trace
  3. season — of the year
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. kick — in football
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. season — in sport
  15. pass — a permit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. roll — a cake
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. season — to add flavour

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