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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. present — a gift
  6. track — a song
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. track — to keep track
  9. present — the time now
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. ground — a position
  14. toast — bread
  15. stock — goods
  16. mug — a cup
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. present — there
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — shares
  22. mug — a face
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. track — a path

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