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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ground — the earth
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. ground — a position
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rule — government
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — to wash
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — hurry
  18. firm — a company
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rule — a law
  23. ground — crushed
  24. coach — a trainer

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