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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — in sport
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ground — a position
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lie — an untruth

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