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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lean — to bend
  6. spell — a short time
  7. lean — thin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mug — a cup
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. land — a country
  12. spell — magic
  13. sharp — clever
  14. land — to come down
  15. bank — for money
  16. mug — a face
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bank — for money
  21. mate — a friend
  22. land — ground
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. spell — letters

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