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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. ground — a position
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stock — goods
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pop — music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. stock — shares
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pop — soda
  24. wake — a trail

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