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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. present — a gift
  5. rash — hasty
  6. lean — thin
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. present — the time now
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. suit — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cap — of ice
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rash — a series
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. present — there
  24. suit — to fit

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