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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. ground — crushed
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. chip — to eat
  8. ground — the earth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mark — a grade
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ground — a position
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pop — soda
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. file — a line of people
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. file — a document

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