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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.

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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mug — to rob
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mug — a face
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ground — crushed

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