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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · staff · present · rush · mine · lie · saw · ground

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. staff — employees
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — there
  7. ground — the earth
  8. staff — employees
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ground — a position
  13. present — the time now
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. present — a gift
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rash — a series
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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