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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rest — a break
  9. ground — crushed
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. ground — the earth
  18. charge — electricity

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