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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. land — ground
  5. pass — a permit
  6. land — to come down
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. chair — a leader
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fine — high quality
  13. squash — the sport
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — all right
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. land — a country
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. trunk — of a tree

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