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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — to confront
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. face — part of the head
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. row — to paddle
  13. chip — to eat
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. row — a line

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