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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. capital — money
  3. ground — a position
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — there
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. present — a gift
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bulb — for light
  20. present — the time now
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ground — crushed
  24. capital — a city

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