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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ground — a position
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. object — an aim
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ground — crushed
  12. object — to protest
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rule — government
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. file — a document
  19. object — a thing
  20. file — a tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rule — a law

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