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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rash — hasty
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rash — a series
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — to bear
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — hurry

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