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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — for betting
  4. spring — the season
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spring — of water
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pass — a permit
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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