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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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. present — the time now
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pass — a permit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rush — hurry
  12. present — there
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rash — a series
  15. key — in music
  16. present — a gift
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wound — an injury
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rash — on the skin

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