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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 120 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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. capital — money
  3. hand — help
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hand — in cards
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. capital — a city
  22. board — to get on
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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