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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 120 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bound — obliged
  8. degree — temperature
  9. present — the time now
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. swing — in golf
  13. degree — an amount
  14. fine — all right
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. present — there
  19. swing — music
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ground — a position
  23. present — a gift
  24. swing — to play on

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