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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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 — the earth
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. swing — music
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mine — for digging
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — a position
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — to play on
  20. suit — in cards
  21. ground — crushed
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  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