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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. march — the month
  4. capital — money
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rest — what's left
  11. capital — a city
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — an illness
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rest — a break
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. march — the month
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. march — music
  24. bear — the animal

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