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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. plane — a tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. swing — music
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pit — a hole
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. track — to keep track
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. track — a path
  11. chip — for betting
  12. staff — employees
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wind — moving air
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wind — moving air
  19. track — a song
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. staff — employees
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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