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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 120 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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spring — the season
  5. court — of law
  6. fine — all right
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. court — for sport
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spring — a coil
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. court — of a king
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. calf — a young animal

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