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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. spell — a short time
  4. cue — a signal
  5. spell — letters
  6. staff — employees
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. cue — for pool
  9. staff — employees
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. game — wild animals
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pass — a permit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. game — a match
  20. cue — a hint
  21. squash — to crush
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. spell — magic
  24. perch — the fish

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