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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rest — a break
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. charge — in control
  11. march — the month
  12. charge — electricity
  13. march — the month
  14. charge — a price
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — for betting
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ground — the earth
  22. march — music
  23. ground — crushed
  24. cabinet — ministers

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