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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. present — there
  3. pass — a permit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. present — the time now
  10. sharp — clever
  11. firm — a company
  12. lie — to recline
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. firm — steady
  16. tube — a container
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. can — to be able to
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — a gift

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