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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. net — for catching
  3. stand — to bear
  4. race — a contest
  5. ground — crushed
  6. game — a match
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. race — the arms race
  9. ground — a position
  10. charge — in control
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. net — after costs
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rule — government
  17. race — humankind
  18. rule — a law
  19. net — in sport
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. game — wild animals
  23. ground — the earth
  24. game — a kind of play

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