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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 sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ground — crushed
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pop — music
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pop — soda
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. ground — a position
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pop — to visit
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. arm — part of the body

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