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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. tear — to rip
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ground — a position
  8. bass — low music
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bass — the fish
  12. firm — steady
  13. drill — army training
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. firm — decided
  16. drill — the tool
  17. tear — from crying
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. firm — a company
  23. drill — a practice
  24. coach — a trainer

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