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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cold — an illness
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. cold — not warm
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mug — a face

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