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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. club — for golf
  5. ground — the earth
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. ground — a position
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. land — ground
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for dancing
  18. current — electric
  19. rest — what's left
  20. club — a group
  21. land — a country
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. land — to come down
  24. current — happening now

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