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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bound — obliged
  9. race — humankind
  10. bass — low music
  11. bound — certain
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. ground — a position
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bass — the fish
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rush — hurry
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — out of danger

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