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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. swing — music
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. last — finally
  5. chip — for betting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bass — the fish
  9. chip — to eat
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bass — low music
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. last — to go on
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. last — final
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. saw — the tool
  24. swing — to play on

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