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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tube — a container
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. content — the amount
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ground — a position
  21. tube — the underground
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. cabinet — ministers

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