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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. can — a tin
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cold — not warm
  13. can — a tin
  14. pit — in a race
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bore — to tire
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cold — an illness
  24. key — for a lock

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