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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — in cards
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — obliged
  8. chip — for betting
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bound — certain
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mark — a trace
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. rest — a break
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. ground — crushed
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bound — tied together

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