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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fall — the season
  4. game — wild animals
  5. fall — to drop
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. cue — a signal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. toast — bread
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cue — for pool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. game — a match
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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