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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. snap — to click
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. spring — of water
  5. lean — thin
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bass — low music
  8. spring — the season
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fork — in a road
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pass — a permit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lean — to bend

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