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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spring — a coil
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — a line
  22. root — the cause
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — to paddle

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