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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 124 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rule — government
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rule — a law
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. ground — crushed
  8. key — in music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. key — the most important part
  13. ground — a position
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. key — for a lock
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — letters
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. spell — magic
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — help

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