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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cue — a hint
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ground — a position
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ground — the earth
  15. row — to paddle
  16. object — an aim
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. object — to protest
  22. row — a line
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. object — a thing

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