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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. march — music
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. march — the month
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ground — a position
  7. current — of water
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. current — electric
  13. march — the month
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bat — the animal
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. current — happening now
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bay — a horse colour

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