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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 124 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ground — a position
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. face — to point toward
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. perch — the fish
  21. lie — to recline
  22. key — in music
  23. key — the most important part
  24. ground — the earth

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