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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bound — certain
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ground — crushed
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bound — obliged
  12. charge — in control
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ground — a position
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rush — hurry
  17. object — an aim
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — the earth
  20. chip — for betting
  21. charge — electricity
  22. object — to protest
  23. wind — moving air
  24. charge — a price

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