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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. ground — a position
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. scale — in music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. chip — to eat
  18. craft — boats
  19. dip — to sink
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fine — all right
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pound — a weight

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