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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mate — to breed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. staff — a stick
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rest — a break
  17. drill — army training
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — a practice
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. leaves — to go away

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