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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. row — a line
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ground — a position
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ground — the earth
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — bread
  23. squash — the sport
  24. saw — the tool

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