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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. board — to get on
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chip — to eat
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lean — thin
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fall — the season

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