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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. can — to be able to
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stem — to come from
  5. mark — a trace
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. scale — in music
  8. can — a tin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — a tin
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ground — a position
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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