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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: lean · pass · tube · hide · mate · deal · march · jam

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. mate — a partner
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lean — to bend
  7. march — the month
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — a container
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. lean — thin
  15. mate — a friend
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. march — music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. march — the month
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hide — to keep secret

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