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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 120 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. fine — all right
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. perch — the fish
  9. deal — to handle
  10. firm — steady
  11. ground — a position
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mug — to rob
  14. ground — the earth
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mug — a cup
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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