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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stand — to bear
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. net — after costs
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. net — for catching
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. net — in sport
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mate — a friend
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bear — the animal

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