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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. march — the month
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. swing — music
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. object — to protest
  13. march — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. swing — to play on
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pass — a permit
  18. march — the month
  19. ground — a position
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. object — a thing
  23. ground — the earth
  24. swing — in golf

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