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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. mark — a trace
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. spring — of water
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mark — a grade
  15. saw — the tool
  16. march — the month
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pound — a weight
  21. spring — a coil
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. spring — the season

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