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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bound — certain
  5. ground — crushed
  6. kid — child
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. toast — bread
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pitch — completely
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. chest — of your body
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. chest — a box
  21. ground — a position
  22. chest — of your body
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bound — tied together

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