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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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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: pass · tube · rush · bay · field · pit · firm · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. firm — steady
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. field — a subject
  10. field — for sport
  11. firm — a company
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fall — to drop
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fall — the season
  21. field — farmland
  22. pit — a hole
  23. tube — a container
  24. firm — decided

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