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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. march — the month
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. march — the month
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. staff — employees
  12. pass — a permit
  13. march — music
  14. staff — employees
  15. mine — for digging
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. rule — a law
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. dip — to sink
  20. wax — to grow
  21. kick — in football
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rule — government

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