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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. last — finally
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. last — to go on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. last — final
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ground — the earth

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