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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 116 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cue — for pool
  3. craft — boats
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bulb — for light
  9. field — a subject
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. chip — for betting
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. cue — a signal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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