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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. court — of law
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ground — a position
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — the earth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. court — of a king
  18. chip — to eat
  19. court — for sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. ground — crushed
  22. rest — a break
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. nail — on a finger

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