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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 beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. capital — money
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stand — to bear
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. capital — a city
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mine — for digging

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