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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bat — the animal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bound — tied together
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pass — a permit

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