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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mate — a friend
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. sharp — clever
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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