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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. fall — to drop
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. mate — to breed
  6. fall — to drop
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. snap — to click
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. club — a group
  13. pass — a permit
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fall — the season
  16. club — for golf
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — a price
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. mate — a partner

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