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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ground — crushed
  6. kick — in football
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ground — a position
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — to eat
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. chip — for betting
  17. firm — a company
  18. march — music
  19. ball — a great time
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. march — the month
  24. firm — decided

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