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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rest — what's left
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bass — low music
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. deal — to handle
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rest — a break
  24. nail — on a finger

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