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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mark — a grade
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. snap — to click
  13. file — a line of people
  14. file — a tool
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. file — a document
  24. mark — a trace

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