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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. root — the cause
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pit — a hole
  9. root — of a plant
  10. deal — to handle
  11. tear — to rip
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pit — in a race
  14. root — of a word
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tear — from crying
  17. plane — a tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. tear — from crying
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. chip — to eat

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