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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. ground — crushed
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spring — of water
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ground — a position
  19. fine — all right
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ground — the earth

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