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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 a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. shower — rain
  6. ground — a position
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spring — of water
  11. suit — in cards
  12. shower — to wash
  13. band — a ring
  14. chip — for betting
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a music group
  17. ground — the earth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. spring — a coil
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spring — the season
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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