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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bound — certain
  6. pass — a permit
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bound — tied together
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bound — obliged
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. ground — a position
  18. bark — to shout
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. rash — a series

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