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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. object — an aim
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mate — a friend
  6. fine — all right
  7. mug — a face
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — a subject
  10. pass — a permit
  11. object — a thing
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. field — for sport
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mug — a cup
  16. present — a gift
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fine — high quality
  20. shower — rain
  21. mate — a partner
  22. shower — to wash
  23. present — there
  24. object — to protest

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