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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cue — a signal
  5. spell — magic
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. court — of a king
  8. cue — for pool
  9. hand — help
  10. spell — letters
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. court — for sport
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wake — a trail
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hand — in cards
  20. court — of law
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cue — a hint
  23. branch — a division
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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