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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 124 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rule — a law
  4. firm — a company
  5. bound — certain
  6. ground — a position
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bound — obliged
  10. spell — a short time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ground — crushed
  13. spell — letters
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. firm — decided
  21. rule — government
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. spell — magic

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