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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. chip — for betting
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. foot — a measure
  7. tube — the underground
  8. present — there
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. tube — a container
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. club — a group
  14. spell — magic
  15. stand — to bear
  16. present — a gift
  17. club — for dancing
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. present — the time now
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. club — for golf
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. spell — a short time

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