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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lean — thin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ground — the earth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rule — a law
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. content — happy
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. content — the amount
  18. rule — government

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