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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ground — a position
  4. field — for sport
  5. land — ground
  6. squash — the sport
  7. object — a thing
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. object — an aim
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ground — crushed
  13. face — part of the head
  14. field — farmland
  15. object — to protest
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — a country
  19. field — a subject
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. saw — the tool
  24. squash — to crush

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