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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. tear — to rip
  3. ground — the earth
  4. can — a tin
  5. net — in sport
  6. ground — crushed
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. net — after costs
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. swing — music
  15. tear — from crying
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — to be able to
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ground — a position
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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