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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wake — a trail
  4. club — for golf
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — of water
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. club — a group
  16. current — happening now
  17. club — for dancing
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. wind — moving air
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. net — after costs
  24. current — electric

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