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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 120 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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. lean — thin
  4. bat — the animal
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pound — a weight
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fine — high quality
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. temple — a place of worship

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