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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. firm — a company
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. key — in music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mine — for digging
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — a grade

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