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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. spell — magic
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ground — a position
  7. staff — employees
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. press — to push
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. spell — letters
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. press — newspapers
  17. staff — employees
  18. ground — crushed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cell — in biology
  22. cell — a phone
  23. press — a publisher
  24. safe — out of danger

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