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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 120 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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. game — wild animals
  3. swing — music
  4. game — a match
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. prune — to trim
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pass — a permit
  10. firm — steady
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. swing — to play on
  13. object — an aim
  14. key — the most important part
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. key — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. firm — a company
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. staff — a stick
  22. prune — to trim
  23. swing — in golf
  24. staff — employees

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