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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. chip — to eat
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ground — a position
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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