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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. sharp — clever
  5. club — a group
  6. club — for golf
  7. perch — the fish
  8. squash — to crush
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. dip — to sink
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. spring — a coil
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. spring — the season
  17. pass — a permit
  18. spring — of water
  19. squash — the sport
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. club — for dancing
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. jam — a tight spot

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