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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 120 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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spell — letters
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. tube — a container
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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