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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: mine · pass · present · jam · foot · wound · march · staff

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. staff — employees
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mine — for digging
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. foot — a measure
  9. pass — a permit
  10. present — a gift
  11. march — the month
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wound — an injury
  15. present — the time now
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. present — there
  18. wound — an injury
  19. staff — a stick
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. march — music
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. staff — employees
  24. march — the month

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