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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. court — of law
  5. degree — an amount
  6. season — in sport
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wake — a trail
  13. pass — a permit
  14. season — of the year
  15. court — of a king
  16. degree — temperature
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. court — for sport
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bowl — to roll

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