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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. present — the time now
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ground — a position
  10. key — the most important part
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ground — the earth
  13. dip — to sink
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. shower — rain
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pound — a weight
  18. key — in music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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