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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.

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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. key — for a lock
  3. ground — crushed
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ground — a position
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. key — in music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rock — music
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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