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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. can — a tin
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. can — a tin
  7. bear — the animal
  8. present — a gift
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. can — to be able to
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. present — the time now
  17. chip — to eat
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bear — the animal
  21. present — there
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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