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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ground — a position
  4. tube — a container
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ground — crushed
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cap — a lid
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — for money
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bank — for money
  18. tube — the underground
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cap — a hat
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitch — a sports field

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