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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mine — for digging
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. scale — size or range
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. scale — in music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. mark — a grade
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fork — to eat with

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