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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · pass · mug · spring · present · stick · bore · rock

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. spring — the season
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mug — a face
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. swing — in golf
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — the time now
  17. rock — music
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. swing — music
  22. spring — of water
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. present — there

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