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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. hide — to keep secret
  2. chip — for betting
  3. club — for golf
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. current — of water
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stand — to bear
  12. current — electric
  13. mark — a trace
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. club — a group
  18. vault — a safe
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mark — a grade
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stand — for spectators
  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