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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. drill — a practice
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. ground — crushed
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — a hat
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. can — to be able to

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