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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. season — in sport
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. board — to get on
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mark — a grade
  18. season — of the year
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. saw — the tool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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