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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. ground — the earth
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. ground — a position
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ground — crushed
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. present — there
  14. present — a gift
  15. chip — to eat
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mark — a grade
  18. present — the time now
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. chip — for betting
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. arm — a part of something

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