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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. ground — a position
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. field — for sport
  7. suit — clothes
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. field — farmland
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — a subject
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ground — crushed
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. prune — to trim
  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