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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cell — a phone
  11. season — in sport
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. chip — for betting
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. season — of the year

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