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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. season — in sport
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rule — government
  5. key — in music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mug — a cup
  8. ground — a position
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. ground — crushed
  11. mug — a face
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. key — the most important part
  16. chip — for betting
  17. key — for a lock
  18. season — of the year
  19. stock — shares
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rule — a law
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mug — to rob
  24. stock — goods

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