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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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468
Word bank
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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. tube — the underground
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pass — a permit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. tube — a container
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fork — in a road
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. suit — to fit
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. suit — in cards

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