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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. ground — crushed
  3. present — there
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ground — the earth
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ground — a position
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. present — the time now
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. scale — in music
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. present — a gift
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. game — wild animals
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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