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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.

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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: last · pass · spell · current · bay · mate · sharp · row

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. current — happening now
  5. spell — a short time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. last — final
  8. pass — a permit
  9. mate — to breed
  10. last — to go on
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. last — finally
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. row — to paddle
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. current — electric
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. sharp — clever
  23. current — of water
  24. row — a line

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