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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 · mark · ruler · track · pop · bear · firm · fan

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — a position
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. firm — a company
  19. mark — a grade
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bear — the animal
  22. firm — decided
  23. track — a song
  24. track — a path

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