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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 120 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. scale — in music
  4. fine — high quality
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — decided
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. season — in sport
  14. fine — all right
  15. firm — steady
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. scale — size or range
  24. ground — the earth

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