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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. tube — the underground
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — to eat
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — a container
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bark — to shout
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bark — of a tree

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