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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ground — the earth
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ground — a position
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. tube — a container
  10. drill — army training
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rule — government
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitch — completely

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