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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ground — a position
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ground — crushed
  20. squash — to crush
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cabinet — ministers

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