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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. ground — a position
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ground — the earth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ground — crushed
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. chip — to eat
  22. pound — a weight
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wax — to grow

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