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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: ground · hide · game · content · wake · mug · suit · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. ground — the earth
  3. game — a match
  4. mug — to rob
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — to fit
  8. game — wild animals
  9. wake — a trail
  10. file — a document
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. file — a tool
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. content — the amount
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. content — happy
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — crushed

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