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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. content — the amount
  4. ground — a position
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cue — a hint
  9. object — to protest
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. capital — a city
  12. object — a thing
  13. capital — money
  14. prune — to trim
  15. ground — crushed
  16. content — happy
  17. object — an aim
  18. cue — for pool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — a signal

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