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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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ground — crushed
  5. prune — to trim
  6. staff — employees
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. swing — music
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. staff — a stick
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. staff — employees
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ground — a position
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pass — a permit
  23. swing — to play on
  24. cell — in biology

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