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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. foot — a measure
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. fine — all right
  13. toast — bread
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. tube — a container
  21. present — a gift
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. wave — with your hand

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