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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. track — a path
  11. firm — decided
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — a song
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. track — to keep track
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. firm — steady
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fork — in a road

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