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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. can — a tin
  3. clip — a video
  4. ball — a great time
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. clip — for paper
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. can — to be able to
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. mark — a trace
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — a sauce

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