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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ground — crushed
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. tube — a container
  18. bore — to tire
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — government
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. safe — a strongbox

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