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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. pound — a weight
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. mate — a partner
  7. ground — crushed
  8. drill — a practice
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bass — low music
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bulb — for light
  14. can — to be able to
  15. drill — army training
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the fish

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