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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ground — a position
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bear — the animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ground — crushed
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stand — to bear

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