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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. net — for catching
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. net — after costs
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ground — a position
  11. net — in sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rule — government
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hand — in cards
  16. fine — all right
  17. dip — to sink
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. hand — help
  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