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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mark — a trace
  3. toast — bread
  4. spell — letters
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. wound — an injury
  9. spell — a short time
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mark — a grade
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ground — a position
  16. spell — magic
  17. current — of water
  18. firm — steady
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. ground — crushed
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mark — to pay attention

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