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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. field — farmland
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. field — a subject
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. field — for sport
  19. pass — a permit
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bear — the animal
  23. fine — all right
  24. wound — an injury

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