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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. present — a gift
  4. chair — a leader
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — happening now
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. staff — employees
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. present — the time now
  18. staff — a stick
  19. present — there
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pit — in a race
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pass — a permit

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