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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. lean — thin
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pound — a weight
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. game — wild animals
  11. craft — boats
  12. game — a match
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ground — crushed
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. hide — to keep secret

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