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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 120 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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — help
  7. swing — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. present — a gift
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. present — there
  21. ground — a position
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. present — the time now

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