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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. rule — a law
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — to get on
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. board — a committee
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pit — a hole
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rule — government
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rule — to rule out
  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