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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. present — there
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. present — the time now
  8. track — a path
  9. pass — a permit
  10. track — a song
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ground — crushed
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pit — in a race
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — goods
  18. toast — bread
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stock — shares
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pit — a hole

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