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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. cold — an illness
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. fine — all right
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — a song
  18. cold — not warm
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fine — high quality
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. can — a tin

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