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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bear — the animal
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pop — soda
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. roll — a cake
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bear — the animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pop — music
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. game — a match

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