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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 120 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bat — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rule — government
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mark — a grade
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. board — a committee
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. board — to get on
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ground — a position

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