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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to bend
  3. dip — to sink
  4. ground — the earth
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. suit — to fit
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. spring — a coil
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — the season
  14. ground — crushed
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ground — a position
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. suit — in cards
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. safe — out of danger

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