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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ground — the earth
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. fine — all right
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ground — a position
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rush — hurry
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. ground — crushed
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. band — a music group
  21. chip — to eat
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. firm — a company
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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