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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fall — to drop
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ground — crushed
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. net — after costs
  15. ground — a position
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fall — the season
  18. racket — for tennis

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