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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rule — a law
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fork — in a road
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ground — crushed
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mate — a partner
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rule — government
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. nail — for a hammer

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