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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. chip — in a computer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. club — for dancing
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ground — a position
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. club — a group
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pass — a permit
  19. club — for golf
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fall — to drop
  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