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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. shower — rain
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. last — finally
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. shower — to wash
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. last — final
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. last — to go on

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