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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. can — a tin
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ground — crushed
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. fine — all right
  12. can — a tin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fine — high quality
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. wind — moving air
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. staff — employees
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ground — a position

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