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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. roll — a cake
  3. can — to be able to
  4. mug — a face
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. roll — a list
  13. date — the fruit
  14. season — of the year
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rest — a break
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. season — in sport

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