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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: bat · bulb · fall · mate · staff · current · pass · present

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. current — electric
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. present — a gift
  10. staff — employees
  11. bat — the animal
  12. current — happening now
  13. present — the time now
  14. current — of water
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. present — there
  17. mate — to breed
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mate — a friend
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mate — a partner

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