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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pass — a permit
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — clothes
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. hand — help
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cold — an illness
  19. suit — to fit
  20. cold — not warm
  21. rush — hurry
  22. hand — in cards
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. suit — in cards

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