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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: ground · stand · spell · pitcher · toast · pass · plane · fine

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. spell — magic
  5. ground — a position
  6. fine — all right
  7. ground — crushed
  8. fine — high quality
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ground — the earth
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. spell — a short time
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. spell — letters
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. plane — in geometry

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