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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fine — all right
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pit — a hole
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bore — to drill
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fine — high quality

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