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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. board — a committee
  4. pop — music
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. ground — crushed
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. ground — a position
  15. cell — a phone
  16. spell — magic
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cell — in biology
  19. scale — in music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. spell — letters
  22. board — to get on
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. pop — soda

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