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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. fine — high quality
  9. foot — a measure
  10. ground — a position
  11. pound — a weight
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fine — all right
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — the earth
  20. cap — of ice
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cap — a hat
  24. safe — out of danger

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