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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — to fit
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — steady
  9. row — a line
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. firm — a company
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. deal — to handle
  15. march — the month
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. march — music
  20. bat — the animal
  21. firm — decided
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — a permit

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