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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. deal — to handle
  3. firm — steady
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mate — a friend
  9. firm — a company
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. suit — to fit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. suit — in cards
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. row — a line
  17. shower — rain
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. ground — the earth
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mate — a partner
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mate — to breed
  24. firm — decided

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