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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. present — a gift
  8. spell — a short time
  9. ground — a position
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. spell — letters
  13. cap — a lid
  14. rock — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spell — magic
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. present — the time now
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cap — a hat
  24. present — there

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