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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. ground — crushed
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. kick — in football
  10. firm — a company
  11. sharp — clever
  12. firm — decided
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ground — the earth
  17. toast — bread
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wax — to grow
  22. firm — steady
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. sharp — with an edge

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