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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ground — the earth
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mug — a cup
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rule — a law
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. rule — government
  12. mug — a face
  13. ground — a position
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pass — a permit
  17. sharp — clever
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. staff — a stick
  20. chest — a box
  21. staff — employees
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. staff — employees

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