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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. firm — decided
  4. pop — to visit
  5. kid — child
  6. pop — soda
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mate — to breed
  11. firm — steady
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pop — music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rash — a series
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. firm — a company
  22. ground — a position
  23. mate — a friend
  24. kid — to tease

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