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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ground — a position
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. ground — crushed
  23. fine — a penalty
  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