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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chip — to eat
  5. current — of water
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. stand — to bear
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hand — help
  11. current — electric
  12. cue — a signal
  13. cue — for pool
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mine — for digging
  16. perch — the fish
  17. current — happening now
  18. staff — employees
  19. hand — in cards
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. staff — employees

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