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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · wound · cap · bay · ground · fork · file · bowl

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. file — a document
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ground — crushed
  8. file — a line of people
  9. firm — steady
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. ground — a position
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. file — a tool
  24. firm — decided

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