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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — there
  4. wound — an injury
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. fall — the season
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — a gift
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mouse — the animal

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