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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chest — of your body
  3. mate — a friend
  4. mate — to breed
  5. chest — a box
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. chest — of your body
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bound — certain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. deal — to handle
  14. can — a tin
  15. shower — rain
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bound — obliged
  23. can — a tin
  24. bound — tied together

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