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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. current — of water
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bulb — for light
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mate — a friend
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pop — music
  13. current — happening now
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wound — an injury
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — electric
  22. mark — a grade
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pop — soda

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