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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. charge — in control
  8. ground — the earth
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. charge — a price
  15. rest — what's left
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fall — to drop
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fall — the season
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rest — a break

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