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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 124 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. object — a thing
  3. press — newspapers
  4. object — to protest
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pound — a weight
  7. drill — the tool
  8. press — a publisher
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — army training
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. press — to push
  14. mate — a friend
  15. drill — a practice
  16. object — an aim
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. spring — of water
  21. bat — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — for dogs

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