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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wound — an injury
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. ground — the earth
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. season — of the year
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — a position
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ruler — a monarch

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