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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ground — crushed
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. board — to get on
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. board — a committee
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tube — a container
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ground — a position
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. scale — in music

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