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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ground — a position
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. march — the month
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mark — a trace
  15. root — of a plant
  16. march — the month
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. snap — to click
  20. root — the cause
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. march — music
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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