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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · stick · leaves · dip · game · present · ground · lean

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. ground — crushed
  6. game — a match
  7. lean — thin
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ground — a position
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mine — for digging

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