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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. swing — music
  3. ground — a position
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rash — hasty
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. current — electric
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — a series
  14. bound — obliged
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. swing — in golf
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rash — on the skin

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