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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. sharp — clever
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ground — a position
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chair — a leader
  12. squash — to crush
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. squash — the sport

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