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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pop — music
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. court — of a king
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pop — soda
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bore — to drill
  19. court — of law
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — letters
  24. court — for sport

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