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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. chip — for betting
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chip — to eat
  12. craft — boats
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. ground — the earth
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stand — to bear
  24. fan — to cool the air

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