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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — a thing
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. can — a tin
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wake — a trail
  17. object — to protest
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — electricity
  20. can — to be able to
  21. ground — the earth
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. ground — crushed

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