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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. prune — to trim
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. present — the time now
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mate — a friend
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. present — a gift
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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