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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mine — for digging
  9. season — in sport
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. club — for golf
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pass — a permit
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. club — a group
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — to protest
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. season — of the year
  23. tear — from crying
  24. object — an aim

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