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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chip — to eat
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ground — a position
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cap — a hat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats

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