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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. can — a tin
  9. mine — for digging
  10. can — a tin
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rock — music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. drill — army training
  18. can — to be able to
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stand — to bear
  24. foot — part of the body

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