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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — a thing
  5. bank — for money
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. branch — a division
  13. object — an aim
  14. pop — to visit
  15. object — to protest
  16. ground — a position
  17. pop — soda
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pop — music
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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