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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ground — the earth
  3. present — a gift
  4. charge — a price
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. present — there
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. capital — money
  10. ground — a position
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. charge — in control
  15. present — the time now
  16. ground — crushed
  17. row — to paddle
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — a tool
  21. capital — a city
  22. charge — electricity
  23. row — a line
  24. bear — 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