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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pass — a permit
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. shower — to wash
  5. board — to get on
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mug — a face
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. shower — rain
  14. board — a committee
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mug — a cup
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fine — all right
  19. ground — crushed
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. squash — to crush
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mug — to rob

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