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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pit — in a race
  4. staff — employees
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mark — a grade
  8. pit — a hole
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. mate — to breed
  15. current — of water
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. current — happening now
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mate — a friend
  23. staff — employees
  24. current — electric

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