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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spell — magic
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. board — a committee
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. present — a gift
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. present — the time now
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. spell — letters
  20. present — there
  21. scale — size or range
  22. board — to get on
  23. ground — a position
  24. scale — in music

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