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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.

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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ground — crushed
  3. fine — high quality
  4. track — a song
  5. can — to be able to
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bulb — for light
  11. ground — the earth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. ground — a position
  15. track — a path
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. can — a tin
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fine — all right
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bark — to shout

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