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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — crushed
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ground — the earth
  5. race — a contest
  6. race — humankind
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hand — help
  9. firm — a company
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. lie — to recline
  17. race — the arms race
  18. firm — decided
  19. hand — in cards
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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