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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 · toast · nail · scale · snap · mine · calf · pass

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. ground — the earth
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. mine — for digging
  11. scale — size or range
  12. toast — bread
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ground — a position
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. scale — in music

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