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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cap — of ice
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — ground
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. scale — in music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — the earth
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cap — a hat
  24. bore — gave birth

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