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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. game — a match
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mine — for digging
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pass — a permit
  14. game — wild animals
  15. suit — in cards
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — a part of something

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