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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 don't need to ________________ round.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. object — a thing
  3. ground — a position
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ground — crushed
  8. chip — to eat
  9. object — an aim
  10. face — to confront
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to tire
  15. object — to protest
  16. craft — boats
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. pop — music
  20. chip — for betting
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. craft — a skill
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. face — part of the head

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