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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. ground — the earth
  4. march — the month
  5. chip — for betting
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chip — to eat
  8. firm — decided
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. ground — crushed
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. kick — in football
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. hand — help
  23. march — music
  24. ground — a position

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