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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rule — a law
  11. ground — crushed
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rule — government
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fall — the season
  22. foot — a measure
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. fall — to drop

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