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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ground — a position
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. can — a tin
  6. race — the arms race
  7. net — after costs
  8. mug — a cup
  9. net — for catching
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. race — humankind
  12. mug — a face
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. can — to be able to
  18. race — a contest
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — to rob
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. net — in sport
  24. land — a country

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