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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. land — ground
  3. foot — a measure
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. ground — a position
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. land — a country
  12. firm — decided
  13. staff — a stick
  14. land — to come down
  15. ground — the earth
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — a company
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. staff — employees
  23. season — of the year
  24. staff — employees

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