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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. squash — to crush
  3. spell — a short time
  4. foot — a measure
  5. cap — a hat
  6. spell — letters
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. file — a line of people
  11. drill — a practice
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. file — a document
  14. squash — the sport
  15. file — a tool
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. spell — magic
  19. pass — a permit
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. drill — army training
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cap — a lid

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