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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. plane — a tool
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — to eat
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fork — in a road
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wind — moving air
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. racket — a loud noise

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