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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. chip — to eat
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bat — the animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rule — a law
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stock — shares
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. stand — to bear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — farmland
  22. rule — government
  23. field — for sport
  24. calf — a young 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