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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: pass · spring · pit · ground · cap · fine · stick · mouse

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. spring — of water
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. spring — a coil
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. spring — the season
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. ground — a position
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ground — the earth

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