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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 124 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. face — part of the head
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ground — a position
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. face — to point toward
  10. ground — crushed
  11. track — a path
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fall — the season
  15. track — a song
  16. face — to confront
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wax — to grow
  19. pass — a permit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. fall — to drop
  24. perch — for a bird

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