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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: chest · pass · roll · suit · ruler · ground · lie · jam

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. roll — a cake
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pass — a permit
  11. chest — a box
  12. lie — to recline
  13. roll — a list
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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