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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ground — crushed
  3. ground — a position
  4. board — a committee
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ground — the earth
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cue — for pool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — to wash
  17. board — to get on
  18. shower — rain
  19. chip — for betting
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chip — to eat

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