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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. shower — rain
  3. ground — crushed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. can — a tin
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. can — to be able to
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. rule — government
  14. ground — the earth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. shower — to wash
  22. kid — child
  23. kick — in football
  24. rule — a law

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