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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. object — a thing
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. club — a group
  10. mug — to rob
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. object — an aim
  14. mug — a face
  15. club — for golf
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. land — a country
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mug — a cup
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. club — for dancing
  24. object — to protest

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