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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 116 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cap — a lid
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. scale — in music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — help
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. scale — size or range
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cap — a hat
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cap — of ice
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. deal — to handle

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