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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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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: hide · ground · mark · chest · jam · rock · lean · fine

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chest — a box
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. chest — of your body
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fine — all right
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ground — the earth
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mark — a grade
  19. chest — of your body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — a position
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rock — music

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