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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. date — the fruit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. suit — to fit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lean — thin
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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