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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 120 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wind — moving air
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mark — a trace
  10. band — a ring
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. band — a music group
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — to pay attention

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