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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. swing — music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — all right
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ground — the earth

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