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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. pit — a hole
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pit — in a race
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — to be able to
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bank — of a river
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ball — a dance
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. ground — the earth
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — to paddle
  22. ball — a great time
  23. row — a line
  24. can — a tin

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