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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rest — what's left
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. drill — a practice
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. drill — army training
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ground — a position
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chest — a box
  18. hand — help
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ground — crushed
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rest — a break
  23. chest — of your body
  24. ground — the earth

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