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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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 — a permit
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. content — the amount
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. firm — a company
  11. chest — a box
  12. ground — a position
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. firm — decided
  15. ground — crushed
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. firm — steady
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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