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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. charge — a price
  5. last — final
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fork — in a road
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cap — a lid
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mug — a face
  13. last — finally
  14. ground — a position
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cap — a hat
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. charge — electricity
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. charge — in control
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. last — to go on
  24. straw — dry grass

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