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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. court — of law
  7. pass — a permit
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lean — thin
  11. court — for sport
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lean — to bend
  17. court — of a king
  18. cap — a lid
  19. mate — a partner
  20. cap — of ice
  21. squash — to crush
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a hat

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