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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. firm — a company
  3. ground — a position
  4. press — newspapers
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ground — crushed
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ground — the earth
  10. press — a publisher
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. game — wild animals
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. press — to push
  19. firm — steady
  20. hand — help
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. game — a match
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. firm — decided

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