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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. vault — a safe
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pass — a permit
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cell — in biology
  17. roll — a list
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. tube — a container
  21. roll — a cake
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. charge — in control
  24. roll — on a roll

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