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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rash — hasty
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rash — a series
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. tear — to rip
  15. wind — moving air
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pass — a permit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. present — a gift
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. tear — from crying

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