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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. object — to protest
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. ground — a position
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ground — crushed
  13. object — an aim
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. firm — steady
  17. cell — in biology
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. object — a thing

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