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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. clip — a video
  8. pitch — completely
  9. date — the fruit
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wind — moving air
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chip — to eat
  16. clip — to cut
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wind — moving air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. stand — to bear
  24. clip — for paper

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