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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fine — high quality
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. season — of the year
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pit — in a race
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bark — to shout
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fine — all right
  18. snap — to click
  19. tube — a container
  20. season — in sport
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — a hole

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