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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. net — in sport
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — for catching
  13. ground — the earth
  14. sharp — clever
  15. ground — a position
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rush — hurry
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. craft — a skill
  21. net — after costs
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. craft — a handicraft

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