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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. land — a country
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. last — finally
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. land — ground
  12. kick — in football
  13. last — to go on
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mug — a face
  16. last — final
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. land — to come down
  21. mug — to rob
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. spring — of water

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