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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. board — a committee
  3. ground — the earth
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. ground — crushed
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. board — to get on
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. scale — in music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ground — a position
  20. ball — a dance
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ruler — a monarch

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