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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 124 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. last — final
  5. last — finally
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. last — to go on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cold — an illness
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cold — not warm
  19. pass — a permit
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. toast — bread
  24. cold — the Cold War

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