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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. file — a line of people
  4. squash — to crush
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. file — a tool
  12. squash — the sport
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stem — to come from
  18. ground — a position
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. file — a document
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wave — with your hand

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