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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rock — a stone
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rock — music
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rash — a series
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mug — a face
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mug — to rob

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