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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. march — the month
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pop — soda
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. march — music
  22. wake — a trail
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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