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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chip — for betting
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. last — finally
  12. chip — to eat
  13. last — to go on
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. last — final
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. stand — to bear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stand — for spectators

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