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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bound — certain
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cap — of ice
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitch — completely
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pound — a weight
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cap — a lid
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. plane — in geometry

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