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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. snap — to click
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rash — a series
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. net — after costs
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. net — in sport
  13. prune — to trim
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — for catching
  19. rash — hasty
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. current — of water
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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