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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. craft — boats
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rash — hasty
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ground — a position
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rash — a series
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — a skill
  18. content — happy
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. content — the amount
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. craft — a handicraft

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