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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lean — to bend
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ground — crushed
  10. cap — a lid
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ground — a position
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lean — thin
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cap — of ice

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