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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. face — to confront
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rock — music
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bear — the animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fine — all right
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ground — the earth
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fine — high quality
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. leaves — to go away

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