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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ground — the earth
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ground — a position
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — boats
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stand — to bear
  19. cap — of ice
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cap — a lid

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