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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. key — for a lock
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. ground — a position
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fine — all right
  16. ground — crushed
  17. cap — a lid
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. season — in sport

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