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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. mine — for digging
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ground — a position
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fine — all right
  7. chip — for betting
  8. snap — to click
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. ground — crushed
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. bass — low music
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chip — in a computer

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