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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. land — to come down
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mug — a face
  8. bear — the animal
  9. land — ground
  10. present — a gift
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. present — there
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. present — the time now
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. land — a country
  24. pass — a permit

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