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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. kid — child
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rock — a stone
  7. current — electric
  8. bass — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. current — happening now
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bass — low music
  16. ground — a position
  17. perch — the fish
  18. kid — to tease
  19. current — of water
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. rock — music
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mine — for digging
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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