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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. ground — a position
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mark — a trace
  7. present — the time now
  8. chair — a leader
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. present — a gift
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chest — a box
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chest — of your body
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chest — of your body
  22. present — there
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bank — of a river

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