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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. net — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. file — a tool
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ground — a position
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a line of people
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bank — for money

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