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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chest — a box
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mug — a face
  12. mate — a partner
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chest — of your body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fan — to cool the air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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