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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. court — of a king
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. ground — the earth
  16. court — of law
  17. can — a tin
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. court — for sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rest — a break
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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