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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · last · club · face · toast · pass · ground · stem

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. last — final
  7. ground — crushed
  8. toast — bread
  9. face — to confront
  10. dip — to sink
  11. club — for golf
  12. pass — a permit
  13. last — finally
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. ground — a position
  18. face — part of the head
  19. club — a group
  20. face — to point toward
  21. last — to go on
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — to come from
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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