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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. snap — to click
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — a permit
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pit — in a race
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pit — a hole

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