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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 sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. kick — in football
  10. cap — a hat
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bear — the animal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. ground — a position
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cap — of ice

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