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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. rock — a stone
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stand — to bear
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. ground — a position
  19. foot — a measure
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitch — completely
  24. spring — the season

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