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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — money
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. capital — a city
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. safe — a strongbox

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