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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. ground — crushed
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. degree — an amount
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ground — a position
  24. spell — magic

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