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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rule — government
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ground — a position
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. hand — in cards
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. hand — help
  15. ground — crushed
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. firm — steady
  24. rule — a law

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