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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bass — the fish
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rash — a series
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rash — hasty
  24. calf — of the leg

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