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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. net — in sport
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ground — a position
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ground — crushed
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — after costs
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bat — the animal

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