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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rush — hurry
  4. firm — a company
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. vault — a safe
  9. clip — a video
  10. can — a tin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. firm — steady
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. can — a tin
  21. firm — decided
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. clip — to cut

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