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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rock — a stone
  3. field — farmland
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. field — for sport
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. hand — help
  9. field — a subject
  10. rash — hasty
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rash — a series
  20. ground — a position
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. rash — on the skin

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