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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. current — electric
  3. firm — steady
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. land — a country
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. land — ground
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bore — to drill
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bore — to tire
  19. firm — decided
  20. ground — the earth
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. firm — a company
  24. land — to come down

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