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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. net — in sport
  5. scale — in music
  6. firm — a company
  7. net — after costs
  8. rest — what's left
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — steady
  11. board — a committee
  12. net — for catching
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. board — to get on
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. ground — a position
  20. firm — decided
  21. ground — crushed
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. chip — to eat

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