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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. capital — money
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ball — a great time
  5. toast — bread
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. snap — to click
  10. capital — a city
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. stand — to bear
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. ball — a round shape

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