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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — crushed
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. can — a tin
  6. current — of water
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. perch — the fish
  10. current — happening now
  11. rash — hasty
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pop — soda
  14. chip — for betting
  15. current — electric
  16. can — to be able to
  17. chip — to eat
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pop — music
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rash — a series
  24. can — a tin

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