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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. toast — bread
  4. spring — the season
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. object — an aim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. object — to protest
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. object — a thing
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. spring — of water
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ground — a position
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — a coil
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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