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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. mug — to rob
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. mug — a face
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. file — a tool
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. file — a line of people
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rest — a break
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. squash — to crush
  23. file — a document
  24. squash — the sport

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