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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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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: mine · staff · craft · stand · mug · pass · ground · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. staff — a stick
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. ground — a position
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. drill — army training
  19. craft — boats
  20. mine — for digging
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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