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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. spring — a coil
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — the earth
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mug — a face
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — help
  9. mug — a cup
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. spring — of water
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mug — to rob
  19. spring — the season
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. prune — to trim
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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