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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cold — not warm
  9. cold — an illness
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. degree — temperature
  15. hand — help
  16. degree — from a university
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hand — in cards
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. degree — an amount
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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