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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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ground — a position
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cap — a lid
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — a hat
  8. track — to keep track
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ground — crushed
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. squash — the vegetable

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