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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. scale — in music
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rash — hasty
  5. game — wild animals
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — in cards
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. spell — a short time
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spell — magic
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — clothes
  18. scale — size or range
  19. lean — thin
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pass — a permit
  22. spell — letters
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to spend time

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