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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 116 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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ground — the earth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ground — a position
  6. lean — thin
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. scale — in music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. fine — all right
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bat — the animal
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. chip — for betting

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