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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. can — a tin
  3. land — a country
  4. land — to come down
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. shower — rain
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. shower — to wash
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a committee
  18. land — ground
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stand — to bear
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chip — for betting

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