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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. face — to confront
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — part of the head
  6. firm — a company
  7. present — a gift
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. ground — crushed
  11. race — a contest
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. present — the time now
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. firm — decided
  17. present — there
  18. fall — the season
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. face — to point toward
  21. firm — steady
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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