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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pop — soda
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pop — music
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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