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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ground — crushed
  9. current — electric
  10. fall — to drop
  11. current — of water
  12. ball — a great time
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fall — the season
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fall — to drop
  18. current — happening now
  19. stand — to bear
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitch — completely
  22. ground — a position
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stand — for spectators

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