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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. net — after costs
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — a position
  7. net — in sport
  8. root — of a word
  9. ground — crushed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rash — a series
  12. root — the cause
  13. rash — hasty
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. net — for catching
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. sharp — clever
  19. root — of a plant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. march — music
  24. sharp — exactly

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