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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fall — the season
  4. ground — crushed
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. drill — army training
  7. mark — a trace
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ground — the earth
  10. can — a tin
  11. drill — a practice
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ground — a position
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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