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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. shower — rain
  4. ground — the earth
  5. key — for a lock
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ground — a position
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bank — of a river
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rule — government
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rule — a law
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — in music

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