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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. file — a line of people
  3. spring — the season
  4. pit — a hole
  5. staff — employees
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. file — a document
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. file — a tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spring — a coil
  13. perch — the fish
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chip — for betting
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chip — to eat
  19. staff — a stick
  20. spring — of water
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. chip — in a computer

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