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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. deal — to handle
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ground — the earth
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. ground — crushed
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chip — for betting
  16. row — a line
  17. roll — a cake
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. roll — a list
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bear — the animal
  24. squash — the sport

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