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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ground — the earth
  7. dip — to sink
  8. game — a match
  9. ground — crushed
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stock — shares
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. ground — a position
  18. chip — to eat
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. game — wild animals
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pass — a permit

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