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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. key — the most important part
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. key — for a lock
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. row — a line
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. season — of the year
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. key — in music
  15. season — in sport
  16. spring — the season
  17. row — to paddle
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — a permit
  24. date — the fruit

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