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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fork — in a road
  4. chip — to eat
  5. net — after costs
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cap — a hat
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stand — to bear
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cue — a signal
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. cue — a hint
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. cue — for pool
  24. fork — a garden tool

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