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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 120 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wind — moving air
  3. march — the month
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. wind — moving air
  7. march — music
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. march — the month
  14. lean — thin
  15. shower — rain
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bark — to shout
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — to bend
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pass — to succeed

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