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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. net — after costs
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mine — for digging
  5. net — in sport
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. land — ground
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. pass — a permit
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. net — for catching
  14. squash — the sport
  15. land — to come down
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bulb — for light
  23. land — a country
  24. arm — part of the body

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