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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ground — a position
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. mate — a partner
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ground — crushed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. scale — size or range
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mate — to breed
  23. scale — in music
  24. prune — the fruit

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