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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pass — a permit
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. march — the month
  6. game — a match
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. kid — child
  10. cue — a hint
  11. march — music
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. march — the month
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cue — a signal
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cue — for pool
  24. tube — the underground

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