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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rock — music
  3. swing — music
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. present — the time now
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. swing — in golf
  8. dip — to sink
  9. deal — to handle
  10. present — there
  11. ground — the earth
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — a position
  14. present — a gift
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lean — thin
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — a stone
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rock — to move gently

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