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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — a position
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. scale — size or range
  11. firm — steady
  12. deal — to handle
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. firm — a company
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — in music
  23. lean — thin
  24. calf — of the leg

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