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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. last — finally
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. ground — a position
  8. key — in music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pit — a hole
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. saw — the tool
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — a trace
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  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