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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rest — a break
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — in a race
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bound — certain
  16. rest — what's left
  17. can — to be able to
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. saw — the tool
  22. ground — the earth
  23. chip — to eat
  24. can — a tin

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