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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: snap · mine · date · rush · pass · root · ball · ground

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. snap — to click
  6. root — of a plant
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. root — of a word
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mine — for digging
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ground — a position
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. root — the cause
  24. rush — hurry

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