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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. last — finally
  6. last — final
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cold — not warm
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. last — to go on
  16. club — for dancing
  17. scale — in music
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ground — crushed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cold — an illness
  22. bear — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cold — the Cold War

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