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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. ground — a position
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. prune — to trim
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stock — goods
  13. prune — to trim
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ground — the earth
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stock — a soup base

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