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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 116 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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mine — for digging
  3. firm — decided
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. firm — steady
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. firm — a company
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pass — a permit
  22. kick — in football
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fork — in a road

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