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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. toast — bread
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pass — a permit
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mug — to rob
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mug — a cup
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bat — the animal
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. sharp — clever

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