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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. net — after costs
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pass — a permit
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. roll — a list
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. toast — bread
  18. pop — soda
  19. present — the time now
  20. roll — a cake
  21. lie — to recline
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. present — a gift
  24. pop — music

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