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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. spring — the season
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ground — a position
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spring — of water
  10. present — a gift
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. spring — a coil
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. drill — army training
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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