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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fork — in a road
  5. kick — in football
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mate — a partner
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bore — to tire
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bass — low music
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stem — a stem cell

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