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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stock — shares
  6. rest — a break
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ground — the earth
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rule — a law
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rest — what's left
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. rule — government
  24. band — a ring

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