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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pop — to visit
  5. key — in music
  6. pop — music
  7. land — to come down
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pop — soda
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — to come from
  17. land — ground
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. kick — in football
  23. land — a country
  24. cabinet — ministers

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