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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. club — a group
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. scale — size or range
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rest — what's left
  19. scale — in music
  20. ground — crushed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. kick — in football
  23. rest — a break
  24. ground — a position

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