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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rest — a break
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ground — the earth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ground — a position
  23. rest — what's left
  24. sharp — with an edge

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