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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. can — a tin
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. can — a tin
  5. chair — a leader
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ground — crushed
  8. march — the month
  9. rest — a break
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ground — a position
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pass — a permit
  14. can — to be able to
  15. march — the month
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. march — music
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. rest — what's left

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