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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. last — to go on
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rock — music
  7. last — final
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rock — a stone
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. last — finally
  18. pitch — completely
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. branch — a division
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stand — to bear

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