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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: pass · trunk · present · chair · cue · ground · mug · squash

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ground — the earth
  10. cue — a hint
  11. present — the time now
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cue — for pool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pass — a permit
  18. present — a gift
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cue — a signal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mug — a face
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. chair — to sit on

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