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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. file — a document
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. suit — to fit
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. file — a tool
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. court — of law
  10. file — a line of people
  11. court — for sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. ground — the earth
  14. snap — to click
  15. ground — a position
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. suit — in cards
  18. tube — a container
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. court — of a king
  24. tube — the underground

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