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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. firm — steady
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. degree — temperature
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — all right
  7. firm — a company
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. ground — the earth
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ground — a position
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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