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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mug — a face
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. court — for sport
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rule — a law
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ground — crushed
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — government
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — to rob
  18. court — of law
  19. bark — to shout
  20. court — of a king
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. ground — a position

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