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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — certain
  6. march — the month
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. march — the month
  11. wound — an injury
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. bound — obliged
  14. deal — to handle
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rest — a break
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. march — music
  24. rest — what's left

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