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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mug — a face
  3. wind — moving air
  4. field — farmland
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mug — to rob
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. ground — the earth
  13. field — for sport
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mug — a cup
  16. field — a subject
  17. wind — moving air
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. vault — a safe
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. safe — out of danger

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