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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rush — hurry
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. press — newspapers
  21. perch — the fish
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. press — to push

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