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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pass — a permit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. charge — in control
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. row — to paddle
  17. mine — for digging
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. row — a line
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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