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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 · nail · scale · pitcher · object · present · ball · bay

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. ground — crushed
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. present — there
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. object — to protest
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — the earth
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. object — an aim
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. object — a thing
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. scale — in music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pitcher — a jug

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