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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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Word bank
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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: lie · ground · nail · ball · club · march · bear · fine

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ground — a position
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ground — crushed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fine — high quality
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. march — music
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. march — the month
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — all right
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. club — a group
  23. march — the month
  24. bear — to put up with

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