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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fall — the season
  4. field — farmland
  5. land — ground
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. charge — a price
  10. land — a country
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pit — in a race
  13. land — to come down
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. field — for sport
  17. pass — a permit
  18. field — a subject
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — in control
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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