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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stand — to bear
  6. prune — to trim
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. firm — a company
  9. ball — a great time
  10. firm — decided
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rest — a break
  18. firm — steady
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mine — for digging
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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