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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: cap · branch · pass · pit · safe · drill · ground · kid

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. ground — crushed
  3. kid — to tease
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — of ice
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cap — a lid
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ground — the earth
  14. kid — child
  15. ground — a position
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pit — in a race
  19. drill — army training
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pit — a hole
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. cap — a hat

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