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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. present — there
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lean — thin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. present — a gift
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tube — a container
  19. stem — to come from
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. tube — the underground

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