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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — a position
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — employees
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wake — a trail
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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