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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. march — the month
  4. mug — to rob
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitch — completely
  8. march — the month
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. march — music
  11. hand — help
  12. mug — a face
  13. track — a song
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. ground — a position
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. hand — in cards
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mug — a cup
  20. ground — the earth
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. track — a path
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. ground — crushed

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