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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. shower — rain
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. scale — in music
  15. squash — the sport
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — 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