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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 120 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 King held a masked ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ball — a great time
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. field — farmland
  10. suit — to fit
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bear — the animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. ground — a position
  15. deal — to handle
  16. field — for sport
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bear — the animal
  21. field — a subject
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. deal — an agreement

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