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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. tube — the underground
  3. court — of a king
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tube — a container
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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