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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 116 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — a position
  6. rash — a series
  7. deal — to handle
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. rash — hasty
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pop — music
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. ground — the earth
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. ground — crushed
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — thin
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pit — in a race

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