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

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bear — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spring — of water
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. charge — in control
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. spring — the season
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — a price
  24. spring — a coil

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