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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. deal — to handle
  3. key — the most important part
  4. ground — crushed
  5. key — in music
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rule — a law
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rule — government
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. lean — thin

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