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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wake — a trail
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. sharp — clever
  21. ground — a position
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rush — hurry

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