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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lean — thin
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. craft — boats
  5. swing — in golf
  6. lean — to bend
  7. firm — decided
  8. swing — music
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wake — a trail
  11. swing — to play on
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — steady
  14. pit — in a race
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — a hole
  18. craft — a skill
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — a company
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ground — crushed

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