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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fork — in a road
  3. date — the fruit
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chip — for betting
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ruler — for measuring

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