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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. face — to confront
  3. track — a song
  4. ground — the earth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. face — part of the head
  8. club — for dancing
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. club — a group
  12. ground — a position
  13. track — a path
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fork — in a road
  16. face — to point toward
  17. track — to keep track
  18. drill — the tool
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. club — for golf
  24. pound — a weight

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