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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pop — music
  3. can — a tin
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bound — obliged
  8. present — a gift
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bound — tied together
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — soda
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ground — a position
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. present — there
  22. squash — the sport
  23. present — the time now
  24. bound — certain

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