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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rash — a series
  5. march — music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ground — crushed
  10. march — the month
  11. ground — a position
  12. mate — a partner
  13. club — a group
  14. rash — hasty
  15. club — for golf
  16. march — the month
  17. club — for dancing
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mate — a friend
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rash — on the skin

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