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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ground — a position
  3. ball — a great time
  4. row — to paddle
  5. ground — crushed
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mate — a partner
  11. march — the month
  12. row — a line
  13. ground — the earth
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lean — to bend
  19. march — the month
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. march — music
  22. lean — thin
  23. ball — a dance
  24. lean — to rest against

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