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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 120 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pass — a permit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. drill — army training
  10. lean — thin
  11. season — in sport
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. content — happy
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. tube — the underground
  18. content — the amount
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. season — of the year
  21. tube — a container
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pass — to spend 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