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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mine — for digging
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. current — electric
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. current — of water
  10. wake — a trail
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spring — of water
  15. mark — a grade
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. present — the time now
  18. mark — a trace
  19. spring — a coil
  20. current — happening now
  21. present — there
  22. present — a gift
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. spring — the season

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