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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 120 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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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: bore · pass · season · ground · chip · rest · stick · craft

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. season — in sport
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ground — a position
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rest — a break
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ground — the earth
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. season — of the year
  12. ground — crushed
  13. chip — to eat
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bore — to tire
  19. craft — boats
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chip — for betting
  23. pass — a permit
  24. bore — to drill

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