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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ground — crushed
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. track — a path
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. suit — in cards
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stand — to bear
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. ground — a position
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bat — the animal
  21. track — a song
  22. suit — to fit
  23. track — to keep track
  24. game — a match

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