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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cap — a hat
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. drill — army training
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rule — government
  12. cap — of ice
  13. craft — boats
  14. cap — a lid
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ground — a position
  18. mug — a face
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pass — a permit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rule — a law
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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