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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. plane — a tool
  6. march — the month
  7. stock — goods
  8. object — a thing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. march — the month
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ground — the earth
  15. stock — shares
  16. object — an aim
  17. pass — a permit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. march — music
  20. bass — low music
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — the fish
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. pass — to succeed

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