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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — crushed
  5. board — to get on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. net — after costs
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. net — for catching
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. present — there
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — a committee
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. net — in sport
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — a gift
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ruler — for measuring

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