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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bore — to tire
  4. ground — a position
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pass — a permit
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. root — of a word
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bore — to drill

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