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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. staff — employees
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. squash — to crush
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. staff — a stick
  21. chip — to eat
  22. squash — the sport
  23. staff — employees
  24. rush — to hurry

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