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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. drill — army training
  3. shower — to wash
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ground — the earth
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bound — obliged
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. drill — a practice
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. bound — certain
  21. shower — rain
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ground — a position

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