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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 124 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — the earth
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rest — what's left
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ground — a position
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rest — a break
  19. tear — to rip
  20. tear — from crying
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — of the year
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bank — for money

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