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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ground — the earth
  8. chest — a box
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ground — crushed
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. pound — a weight
  17. chest — of your body
  18. pass — a permit
  19. chest — of your body
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. toast — bread
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — in sport

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