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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pitch — completely
  4. board — a committee
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — to get on
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. board — a flat piece

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