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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. swing — music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. board — a committee
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pit — a hole
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — to get on
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chip — to eat
  19. scale — in music
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ground — the earth
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rest — a break

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