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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.

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: season · leaves · present · object · spring · pass · pit · hand

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. season — of the year
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. hand — in cards
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hand — help
  8. spring — a coil
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. spring — the season
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. spring — of water
  13. present — a gift
  14. pass — a permit
  15. object — to protest
  16. present — the time now
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. object — a thing
  21. present — there
  22. season — in sport
  23. object — an aim
  24. pit — a hole

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