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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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468
Word bank
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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cold — an illness
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rest — a break
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. ground — a position
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cold — not warm
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. craft — boats
  24. bear — the animal

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