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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mug — a face
  3. staff — employees
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. field — a subject
  10. ball — a great time
  11. staff — employees
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — a series
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rash — hasty
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ball — a dance
  22. field — for sport
  23. mug — a cup
  24. field — farmland

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