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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. can — a tin
  3. key — in music
  4. object — a thing
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — to protest
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rule — a law
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — to be able to
  17. key — for a lock
  18. rule — government
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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