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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. toast — bread
  6. kid — to tease
  7. staff — employees
  8. deal — to handle
  9. staff — a stick
  10. date — the fruit
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. staff — employees
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. kid — child
  16. pass — a permit
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the 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