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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · ground · mouse · rule · wind · bowl

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rule — government
  5. ground — a position
  6. rule — a law
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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