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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: pit · hide · sharp · ground · rush · wound · ruler · toast

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ground — a position
  3. pit — in a race
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rush — hurry
  8. toast — bread
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wound — an injury
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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