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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 120 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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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: fork · nail · pass · spring · spell · rest · ground · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. spring — the season
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. ground — a position
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. spring — a coil
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. spell — magic
  17. spring — of water
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pass — a permit
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — for a hammer

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