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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · ball · tube · snap · object · chip · face · perch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. face — part of the head
  2. ground — the earth
  3. tube — a container
  4. perch — the fish
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ball — a great time
  7. face — to confront
  8. tube — the underground
  9. snap — to click
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ball — a dance
  15. object — a thing
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. object — an aim
  19. face — to point toward
  20. object — to protest
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  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