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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. ground — a position
  3. firm — a company
  4. degree — temperature
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — steady
  8. degree — from a university
  9. ground — the earth
  10. charge — a price
  11. fine — high quality
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — all right
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. charge — in control
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. degree — an amount
  19. firm — decided
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bore — to tire
  23. saw — the tool
  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