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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. foot — a measure
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rest — what's left
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. drill — the tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. object — an aim
  15. ground — a position
  16. rest — a break
  17. rash — hasty
  18. rash — a series
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. object — a thing
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stand — to bear
  23. drill — army training
  24. object — to protest

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