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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — there
  5. spring — of water
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rest — a break
  8. present — the time now
  9. pop — to visit
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. pop — music
  13. staff — employees
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. dip — to sink
  16. spring — a coil
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pop — soda
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. present — a gift
  24. spring — the season

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