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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ground — crushed
  5. spell — a short time
  6. snap — to click
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — letters
  9. field — a subject
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fine — high quality
  16. squash — the sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. field — for sport
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. spell — magic
  24. wave — with your hand

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