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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. ground — crushed
  4. board — to get on
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. ground — a position
  8. wax — to grow
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pound — a weight
  17. chip — for betting
  18. rock — music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. board — a committee
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. chip — in a computer

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