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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mine — for digging
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. spell — magic
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ground — a position
  24. sharp — exactly

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