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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. firm — decided
  5. ground — the earth
  6. club — a group
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — a company
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. firm — steady
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. club — for golf
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. ground — a position
  24. mine — belonging to me

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