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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. drill — a practice
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ground — the earth
  8. firm — a company
  9. drill — army training
  10. bank — for money
  11. drill — the tool
  12. firm — decided
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. face — to confront
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — steady
  23. ground — a position
  24. face — part of the head

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