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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — a tin
  9. march — the month
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — to be able to
  13. chip — to eat
  14. march — music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. march — the month
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bank — of a river
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bound — tied together
  21. can — a tin
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bound — certain
  24. chip — in a computer

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