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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. charge — in control
  4. staff — employees
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. net — in sport
  7. band — a ring
  8. mine — for digging
  9. net — for catching
  10. ground — a position
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. ground — the earth
  16. staff — employees
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. band — a music group
  19. charge — a price
  20. staff — a stick
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. net — after costs
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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