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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. spell — a short time
  12. capital — money
  13. spell — letters
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mate — a friend
  18. capital — a city
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. spell — magic
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mate — to breed

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