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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to click
  6. file — a line of people
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fall — the season
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. file — a document
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ground — the earth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — to drop
  23. file — a tool
  24. charge — in control

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